Welsh shot putter Adele Nicoll is hoping to celebrate competing at the Winter Olympics and Commonwealth Games in the same year with a medal at Birmingham 2022.
Just over five months ago Nicoll was part of the Great Britain bobsleigh team at the Winter Olympics, having lost around 16 kilogrammes to secure a place at Beijing.
Nicoll returned from China to focus on athletics and last month added British Championships shot put gold to the bobsleigh World Cup silver medal she won in January.
I've been selected to represent Wales at the CWG in BIRMINGHAM this August! š“ó §ó ¢ó ·ó ¬ó ³ó æā¤ļø My parents raised me to wake up with purpose and intent. They raised a little girl who always shows up & never gives up. Thank you to all who believed in me. Especially @ryanshotput @WelshAthletics pic.twitter.com/vZWmQnge0b
ā AdelĆ© Nicoll (@adelenicoll) June 8, 2022
āIāve never wantedĀ toĀ beĀ normal,ā Nicoll told the PA news agency ahead of making her Commonwealth Games debut after missing out on selection for Glasgow 2014 and the Gold Coast four years ago.
āThe combinationĀ ofĀ theĀ twoĀ isĀ quiteĀ difficultĀ time-management wise, but you just have to be smart with the periodisation of your training.
āTheĀ eventsĀ lookĀ veryĀ differentĀ fromĀ theĀ outset,Ā butĀ essentiallyĀ theyĀ areĀ powerĀ eventsĀ whichĀ involveĀ strengthĀ andĀ speedĀ andĀ thatās the kindĀ ofĀ athleteĀ IĀ am.
āGoalsetting is so important when I look at the layout of the year ahead.ā
Nicoll began her bobsleigh career in August 2020 after Team GB pilot Mica McNeill noticed her power in the shot put circle and contacted her via social media.
![Muller UK Athletics Championships ā Day Three ā Manchester Regional Arena](http://image.assets.pressassociation.io/v2/image/production/7ee8fd4782a5eaa261e7398d136eb89bY29udGVudHNlYXJjaGFwaSwxNjU5MDkwODgy/2.67607811.jpg?w=640)
The 25-year-old decided to give the sport a go and just over a year later made Great Britainās World Cup bobsleigh squad.
She said: āI was offered opportunity at a time when I wasnāt in a great place with athletics.
āI was in this transition period from junior to senior, and thatās hard for a thrower as it involves heavier implements as well as coming up against older women.
āThe last four to six years have been about taking steps on that ladder and sometimes you fall off. But being in bobsleigh has ignited my motivation and ambition to transfer back into athletics and Iāve loved every minute of it.ā
Nicoll has added a few kilos to her 77kgs bobsleigh frame ā āIāve got more muscle mass now and Iām undoubtedly in better shapeā ā and is excited not only for Birmingham but the desire to become a summer and winter Olympian.
After winning the British Shot Put Championships:#Bobsleigh athlete @adelenicoll selected for #CommonwealthGameshttps://t.co/3dnTzB2Cmh
š· IBSF|Viesturs LÄcis pic.twitter.com/O72oy7OBQu
ā IBSF (@IBSFsliding) July 22, 2022
Only a handful of UK athletes have competed in both Games, with sprinter Montell Douglas being the first British woman to do so by making the Beijing bobsleigh team after running the 100 metres at the 2008 summer Olympics.
āTo compete at Paris 2024 and become a winter and summer Olympian is definitely one of my goals,ā said Welshpool-born Nicoll, who represents Birchfield Harriers and will be on familiar ground in Birmingham.
āItās been an unbelievable journey so far.
āBut thereās no reason I canāt become a winter and summer Olympian with the potential I see.ā
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